Harriet Tubman
was a great woman
so why has Hollywood
chosen to disguise and
hide herstory, with colourism
and confuse her image
in the guise of a younger
and dual heritage woman
I can only surmise that
it was fully intended
that a woman of her calibre,
bravery and courage
would be surrendered
to the disfigurement of
a fictional character
cause that’s what they
really are after

A woman who gave up everything
in order to ensure
that slaves managed to escape
the southern state borders
never got caught under the slave
masters orders
would have saved many more
enslaved people, if there souls
and spirits hadn’t been attacked
an horrendous aftermath
post traumatic slave disorder

Harriet Tubman
was a great woman
so why has Hollywood
chosen to disguise and
hide herstory, with colourism
and confuse her image
in the guise of a younger
and dual heritage woman
I can only surmise that
it was fully intended
that a woman of her calibre,
bravery and courage
would be surrendered
to the disfigurement of
a fictional character
cause that’s what they
really are after

not satisfied with the lynching
and Southern style cover up
a make over rather than
the underground rail way
excursion
camera tracks illicit ill truths
about this no nonsense legend
that now discovered have to defend
just as she enabled many to
live a life that was free
so must we not pretend
that she has now come to this end

Harriet Tubman
was a great woman
so why has Hollywood
chosen to disguise and
hide herstory,
with colourism and confuse her image
in the guise of a younger
and dual heritage woman
I can only surmise that
it was fully intended
that a woman of her calibre,
bravery and courage
would be surrendered
to the disfigurement of
a fictional character
cause that’s what they
really are after

you know the story of the mummy
in Egypt coming to life,
because they just could not understand the type
of high civilisation and the millennium years
Africa’s deep rich ancestral connection
so they made up nightmarish stories
that frightened and distorted
they did this to the Dark Knight Rising
and just look what its now evoked
a shameful and deadly provoke
on those innocent lives in a theatre
throwing gas canisters at random
and then firing indiscriminately
into the audience that could do nothing
but get up, knowing that many would die or suffer terrible injury

Harriet Tubman
was a great woman
so why has Hollywood
chosen to disguise and
hide herstory, with colourism
and confuse her image
in the guise of a younger
and dual heritage woman
I can only surmise that
it was fully intended
that a woman of her calibre,
bravery and courage
would be surrendered
to the disfigurement of
a fictional character
cause that’s what they
really are after

this fantastical tale about Abraham Lincoln slaying vampire
had to be something spectacular
yeah right? No it was a blatant
attempt at sabotage
and right underneath our very noses
what I would like to ask
is why this actress would dare to undertake such a task
without the true history
is she that desperate to be in Hollywood
to my mind this is no good
it undermines, devalues the very reasons of tubmans stature
but then again it’s all to do with
the fat cat gain
the emerge of slavery on a whole different scale
and yes it’s that old story of the White male, hiding behind the new version of a dual heritage overseer

Harriet Tubman
was a great woman
so why has Hollywood
chosen to disguise and
hide herstory, with colourism
and confuse her image
in the guise of a younger
and dual heritage woman
I can only surmise that
it was fully intended
that a woman of her calibre,
bravery and courage
would be surrendered
to the disfigurement of
a fictional character
cause that’s what they
really are after

The slavery whip in a different format
last year we witnessed Ablene Cooper’s
life being taken just like that
another form of kidnapping in the form of
plagiarism through a book
she was a child minder, cleaner and cook
an author took, her intellectual property
and something in court the judge did overlook
this has gone on for ages
through time and in different stages
and still we ignored the warning signs
of others
now landing on our doorstep
now discovers
if we do not do anything to stop it
collectively, it will continue
affecting our immediate family
sisters and brothers
the calling sign is very clear
listen to the silence
know what you can now hear is fear!

Ayo Ada Ogolo c 2012

(Please contact Ayo directly if you require a copy of this poem or wish to reblog. This poem is part of a forthcoming anthology by Ayo Ada Ogolo. We will keep you posted on this exciting publication! )

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About Black Feminists Manchester

This is a group for women who are ‘black’ in the political sense.
I.e: women who self- identify, originate or have ancestry from global majority populations (i.e. Africa, Asia, Middle East and Latin America) multi heritage and indigenous backgrounds.

One Response to Herstorical ship!

Small Room
Poetry Workshop (Children’s)
This Poetry Weekender will be held over two days, and at the Carlton Club, in Whalley Range, Manchester.
The fun will start on Friday 5th October @ 10.00am to 3.00pm, with primary and secondary school children from nearby schools attending
and invited to explore the Carlton Club Mans…ion, and write poetry about the history of the building.

Large Room
Poetry Performance 6.00pm to 9.00pm
In the evening the children will return to recite and perform this poetry – the poetry performances will be turned into an auction, participants will bid for the
poetry – the highest bidder will win the piece of poetry

15 Book stores of traditional contemporary poets & writers on Saturday will be available, including local and regional poetry organisations and independent presses, giving talks on how to get your poetry published independently.
Local radio station interviews from Manchester will also be covering the event.

Poetry Workshop (Adult’s)
Saturday 6th October 10.30am to 1.00pm & 2.30pm to 5.00pm:
Adults will explore the local history of the Carlton Clubs 100 years part 1, in Whalley Range, Manchester.

Poetry & Writers Lunch 1.00pm to 2.30pm – donations please! Local and regional poets will perform while you eat!

2.30pm to 5.00pm local history of the Carlton Clubs 100 years part 2, Whalley Range, Manchester.

7.00pm to 10.30pm Poetry from the afternoons event will be bid on, by the participants and showcased on the Poetry Weekender FB!

Ayo will be raffling her Children’s story book ‘Akua’s Chair’

Please note all poems will be displayed on ‘Poetry Weekender’ FB page, after event!

Workshop and performance £15.00, and £20.00 with food & drink: Meat & vegetarian dishes available
Entry fee for evening event only £5.00 on the Saturday 7.00pm to 10.30pm